Eczema is a term for a group of medical conditions that cause the skin to become inflamed or irritated. It affects about 10% to 20% of infants and about 3% of adults and children although those numbers appear to be increasing due to environmental pollutants. Physicians treat eczema with corticosteroid creams which only suppress symptoms without address the underlying cause. Medicated creams such as Elidel, Protopic and Triamcinolone Acetonide are also associated with cancer risks. So what is the natural route to prevent and control eczema for life?

People suffering from the most common form of eczema, known as atopic dermatitis, have low levels of natural body substances that help fight off skin infections.

This finding may explain why eczema sufferers are more likely to develop skin infections from bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, which can cause irritating, sore patches on the skin that further aggravate the eczema.

Kids who are overly hygienic appear to be at increased risk of developing allergy-related skin condition eczema, according to study findings.

Here are 7 Things To Focus on To Relieve Yourself of Eczema For Good

1) Change Your Diet

Switch from a standard diet to a wholesome diet of fresh, organically grown fruits, vegetables, and nuts, mostly in their raw form.

Foods such as salmon and other fish may help, too (because they contain fatty omega acids).

Eat an alkaline diet (raw fruits and vegetables should be at least 50% of your diet.

Try a Juice Cleanse at least once every 6 months.

Good bacteria and probiotics assist in the healing of ALL skin
related conditions.

Drink spring water or high ph water. Never drink fluoridated tap water which wreaks havoc on your immune system. That includes tooth paste. Use fluoride free toothpaste only.

Anything from changing weather conditions to dish detergents and clothing fabrics can aggravate your eczema. If you are susceptible to eczema, avoid wearing the itchy kind of wool or any synthetic fabrics. These fabrics will only irritate your dry, itchy skin even more so, causing the clothing to rub and scrap your skin. Avoid lotions that list perfume or alcohol in their ingredients. Perfumes are often alcohol based and it dries your skin further.
3) Keep a Journal

Keep a log of everything you eat, wear, and do on a particular day. For example, write down that you ate oatmeal, wore a polyester blouse, and washed dishes with Palmolive. Then, notate how you felt that day and indicate the times and days you began to itch. Eventually, you will discover certain patterns. That is where self-diagnosis can begin.

Take gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). This unusual fatty acid is found in evening primrose oil, black currant oil and borage oil but is very hard to come by in the diet. GLA appears to have nourishing effects on skin, hair, and nails. Take 500 mg twice a day and expect to wait six to eight weeks to see results.

In addition, therapies in both homeopathy and traditional Chinese medicine have proven effective for many skin conditions and are worth exploring.

Olive Leaf. This plant is an excellent antiseptic which means it can help ward off infection and bacteria. And for those of you with eczema who tend to scratch that itch, if the skin breaks you become susceptible to infection. So, olive leaf can keep things clean and contained.

Burdock. This herb is good for reducing inflammation and also destroys inulin which has been linked to eczema outbreaks. You can make a tea from this which is easy to make and drink.

Look for creams that contain neem oil - this is reported to be very effective for eczema. You may have to try a natural foods store to find it.

5) Soak your body in kelp and bentonite clay infused water.

Have a colloidal oatmeal bath. After the bath, massage your hands and feet with castor oil mixed with calendula extract and wrap them in plastic bags for a few hours to keep the skin and the cracks as soft as possible.

6) Draw a lukewarm bath (as cold as you find comfortable) and pour in some milk and a little almond oil.

Soak until your fingers start to prune up. Rinse yourself before stepping out of the tub but don't rub the skin. Pat yourself dry after baths to avoid tearing the frail forming new skin. Treat your skin as you would a baby's.

Skin goes through a 28 day cycle. It normally takes about 1 1/2 months to get skin virtually clear. What may happen is that the skin could get a little worse at first from the toxins being flushed from the cells and going into the bloodstream. This lasts only a couple of days and then your skin will start to clear.

April McCarthy is a community journalist playing an active role reporting and analyzing world events to advance our health and eco-friendly initiatives.